Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Remember Mary Taylor?

Mary Taylor is the Lt. Governor of the state of Ohio. For months, the people of Ohio haven't seen or heard from Taylor. Unfortunately, when Taylor does speak, she chimes in with her support of the anti-labor, anti-middle class, anti-public worker legislation signed into law by Kasich.

.....On the subject of Senate Bill 5, the lieutenant governor said the legislation — which restricts collective bargaining rights for 350,000 public employees in Ohio — has been endorsed by many major business organizations in the state.

“We’re very thrilled to have their endorsement,” she said. ....

Isn't that something. She is thrilled to have the endorsement of business groups????? The people of Ohio are not thrilled with the anti-teacher, anti-police, anti-firefighter, anti-state worker Republican SB 5 legislation. Isn't it just like the Republicans and their business supporters to rally for the suppression of the middle class workers?

>>>> The people of Lancaster, Ohio, will be losing some very important people.

In case you haven’t been following the coverage of the Lancaster city budget troubles, it’s worth catching up. The story fairly well encapsulates what the Governor’s budget is all about – cuts in state aid to local governments that are already facing declining tax revenues, impacts to vital public services like fire and police, job losses and tax increases at the local level.....

.....One of the city’s three fire houses will close and the number of medics will be reduced from three to two per shift, moves that all agree will drive up response times in emergencies. The tax increase is also facing stiff competition on the November ballot, with voters also facing property tax levies for street repair and schools. Voters only recently approved an income tax levy in 2005 to expand fire services.

All in all, the City — run by Republicans, by the way — is faced with an unappealing choice of reducing services or raising taxes. And voters will be confronted with the prospect of three tax issues on the fall ballot. Next time you hear the Governor and GOP say that this budget was balanced without tax increases, or local governments simply need to show fiscal discipline and do more with less, keep Lancaster in mind.

As long as the people of Lancaster keep supporting Republican candidates like Kasich, they will face cutbacks.